Brighter outdoor lights make people feel safer

Outdoor lighting is important for ensuring safety and proper illumination. It however becomes a little difficult to install solar outdoor lighting if there is a residential neighborhood right next to the area where the lights are to be installed.

The problem arises because installing outdoor lighting that is too bright will affect the neighbors at night since most people prefer minimal light in their houses and compounds at night. Dim lights will however not be appropriate since they will not create an environment of safety and security. Brighter outdoor lights have been found to make people feel safer.

Challenging installation scenario

Such a lighting project was to be done in Miami. The lighting was to be installed in a small park that is situated right at the center of a residential neighborhood. The lights installed were to be walkway lights inside the park.

The idea was to create a great ambience for residents to walk at night in the park while making sure they feel safe. The residents near the park were not to feel the impact of these lights in their homes at night.

The pathways were fitted with 20 bollards that were strategically placed throughout the park. The luminaires on these lights were of 8 watts each. Since these lights were in a park with trees and some kind of shading, a power source for them had to be thought through critically. The energy had to power the lights and be clean to carry on the spirit of environmental conservation.

There are many solar lights that have built-in power sources but thorough research has revealed that these do not have enough surface area to collect enough power to light up an LED bollard that will be used for large scale lighting that should run for a useful amount of time. Such lights may not be able to run for the expected six to eight hours every single night throughout the year.

Programmable lighting

The solution in this case was therefore a 340 watt solar power system that was placed in the middle of the park. It would provide power for all the 20 bollards and allow them to run for seven hours each night. The lights were however programmed to light up at dusk for around five hours and then turn off. They would then turn on automatically two hours before dawn to provide lighting for those that like to take early morning walks or leave their homes very early.

This leaves all residents happy and settled whether they will have to walk through the park or not. The LED fixtures are bound to last very long since they have a lengthy lifespan and this ensures constant, quality and reliable lighting throughout the year.

The residents do not have to worry about dark walkways or unsafe streets arising from the shading providing by the trees, the solar power will not be interrupted since it is being collected without interference and there are no power bills to cater to.

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